


If You Can't Stand the Heat

by f_imaginings



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gen, M/M, Paradigm Shift, Zuko Angst, i love how thats a tag here, polyamorous airbenders, sifu hotman, thats what the monks taught me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 00:06:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7912735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/f_imaginings/pseuds/f_imaginings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Staying out of the proverbial kitchen just isn't an option with the Firelord's evil regime spreading like wildfire. Holed up in the Western Air Temple, the Gaang struggle to maintain morale after their considerable losses following the Invasion. It doesn't help matters when a certain exiled Prince shows up, bringing with him painful memories, conflict for the group, and an unexpected second chance for both him and Aang.</p><p>In other words; Forgiveness isn't the only thing the monks taught the Avatar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Western Air Temple

**Chapter One: The Western Air Temple.**

 

 

* * *

 

Appa groaned and shook out his mane, the armour from the failed invasion hanging heavy on his back. They'd stopped flying some miles back, continuing the journey on foot, much to the displeasure of the group. 

"This is humiliating." Katara grumbled. 

"Do you mean getting thoroughly spanked by the Fire Nation, or having to walk all the way to the Western Air Temple?" Sokka's phrasing left something to be desired, but in a way, that was exactly what just happened. The Fire Nation won, they won so soundly, so triumphantly, without even having to do anything. There was something incredibly disheartening about seeing such a coordinated plan be undermined so entirely by Azula.

"Ugh. Both." Katara rolled her shoulders, clicking them to loosen them up, before hoisting her rucksack up higher on her back. Carrying her own pack hadn't been something she was used to in her time on the road with the Avatar. It felt like drudgery to carry it now, to carry everything she owned upon her own back.

 "Sorry guys," Aang stretched his hand out to affectionately scratch the area under Appa's eye, the bison warbling appreciatively at the gesture. "But Appa gets tired carrying all these people." 

Behind them followed the rest of the group. The children who survived the battle, Freedom Fighters; The Duke and Pipsqueak, Teo wheeling along on his chair glider, Haru walking barefoot, feeling the ground beneath his toes, something his father might never feel again, not since the Fire Nation took him and the rest of the adults from the Invasion prisoner. Haru had fought so hard to get his Father out of the demoralising, dehumanising floating prison for Earth Benders. To know that their failure had sent him back to the same place he escaped from, it was crushing. 

The whole group could feel the weight of their defeat sit like heavy armour on their backs. Aang felt like the optimism he was trying to exude wasn't enough. It was hard enough keeping his own spirits up, let alone encouraging the downtrodden group. He insisted that once they arrived at the Western Air Temple things would be better, that they wouldn't find them. Knowing the Fire Nation's track record, finding the gang was only a matter of time, and Aang felt like the hope he was trying to maintain for the team was just a fragile illusion. 

He couldn't dwell on it. Aang knew he had plenty of time to wallow in his thoughts regarding their (his) most recent failure, and he could feel the thoughts beginning to pool inside him, to clog him up, to drag him down. It was only a matter of time- 

"Hey, we're here! I can feel it!" Toph's triumphant cry jolted Aang out of his melancholy thoughts. 

"Uh, Toph?" Katara frowned, puzzled. They reached the clearing at the edge of a cliff, with no sign of the fabled Temple in sight. "I think your feet need their eyes checked." 

"No. She's right!" Aang exhaled, and with the new breath he drew he felt considerably more together. He had to believe his own words for a moment. They had reached the Temple, and things _would_ be better. "We are here." 

"Wow." Toph was in awe, the detail she could feel with her earthbending was intricate and complex, and awe inspiringly beautiful. "It's amazing." 

Flying the group down on Appa took several trips. Aang still didn't want to put too much pressure on his bison. Once the gang had all safely landed they set off to explore the Temple. It was amazing. The Western Air Temple was a marvel of architecture. The entire Temple was built clinging to the underside of the cliffs, steepled buildings built to hang delicately, inverted replicas of the Temples in the North, South and East. Toph could sense endless hidden passageways and rooms burrowed into the mountain, and the team were all eager to explore. 

As Teo, The Duke, and the rest of the kids raced off to begin exploring the temple, Aang made a start to go after them, but Katara blocked his way, standing in front of him, holding his staff like a stop sign. 

"You guys go..." Aang grabs his glider, and Katara lays a hand on Aang's shoulder. "I think we need to talk about some things." 

Aang's shoulders slumped, disappointed. "Why can't I go?" 

Katara's expression was concerned and serious. "We need to decide what we're gonna do now. And since you're the Avatar, maybe you should be part of this?" 

Aang paced over to one of the Temple's benches. The slab of stone that once was ornate, yet simple in purpose, was cracked in the middle, the Temple's decay proving evident. Aang sat down and crossed his arms, clearly not happy to be dragged into the foreboding 'serious discussion' so soon after reaching their destination. Sokka and Katara sat on the bench opposite Aang, and Toph positioned herself atop of a broken column, perched slightly higher than the rest of them.

"Fair enough. So what's the new plan?" 

"Well, if you ask me, the _new_ plan is the _old_ plan!" Sokka threw his arms out wide. "You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes!" 

"Oh yeah, that's great." Aang rolled his eyes. He picked a stray pebble from the broken stone slab and began tossing it in the air nonchalantly. "No problem. I'll just do that." 

Aang's displeasure was evident on his face, and he fiddled with the pebble, before flicking it away irritably. 

Katara attempted to placate his mood. "Aang, no one said it's gonna be easy." 

"Well it's not even going to be possible! Where am I supposed to get a firebending teacher?" 

Katara considered it. "We could look for Jeong Jeong?" 

Aang scoffed, then lay back on the bench with a huff. "Yeah right, like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again." 

"Who's-?" Toph tilted her head, then folded her arms irritably. "Oh, nevermind. If it's important I'll find out." 

Aang swung back up to his feet and grabbed his glider, all too eager to be rid of this conversation. "Oh well, guess we can't come up with anybody." He shrugged, and in one smooth movement opened his glider. "Why don't we just take a nice tour around the Temple?" 

Before anyone could interject, or drag Aang back into another serious conversation he didn't want to be in, he jumped over Sokka's bench and flew out into the mist, whirling through the Temple's spires on his glider. 

Toph blinked. "What's up with him?" 

Sokka rubbed his chin, more focused on the issue at hand than on Aang's flippant mood. "There's got to be someone who can teach him firebending." 

* * *

High up in the eaves of the Temple, Aang found the stables where the bison would be reared, where they would play. The paintings of the bison lined the walls, elaborate murals depicting the first airbenders at play. This was Aang's culture. His heritage. All peeling paint and crumbling buildings. 

He exhaled loudly. Tapping his staff against the stone floor as he walked, just to hear the echoes bounce off the cavernous walls, high ceilings doing all the work, acoustically speaking. It was good to have some sort of sound to listen to up here, Aang thought. Better than listening to his own swirling thoughts. 

He had failed at the invasion. He had failed the world. 

Aang walked up to the mural on the wall and ran his hand over the brushwork. He traced the line of the arrow on the painted bison's head, followed the swirl, the lines depicting his element, let his fingers follow the motion of the swirl all the way to the edge of the painting, until he felt the rock crumble beneath his fingertips, a chunk of the mural's wall having fallen off, years of neglect showing in how the best things would crumble. 

Even the familiar comfort of his culture, of the air nomad's compass points of home, solace, belonging, the four Air Temples holding the world together for the roaming race of benders, even that comfort felt hollow now. 

Coming to these places now after waking up from the ice felt a lot more complex than they had back then. Before visiting the Air Temples felt like seeing family, being embraced by the monks, who while different in the different regions, seemed to be the same in terms of philosophy all over the world. He could go to the North and feel the same fond regard from the monks, the same loving, compassionate, watchful attention from his people wherever he went. Sure some of the older monks could be a little bossy, especially when they thought they were doing what was best for you, but on the whole Aang felt like he was cared for wherever he went.

Every monk or sister he met had the same peaceful aura, the same outward philosophy. They ate the same meals as he did, they cared for the bison and the lemurs, and every animal no matter how big or small, the same as he did. They had the same sense of fun for the most part too. He remembered travelling to the Western Air Temple for the sky bison festival, how he showed the monks and acolytes there his air scooter trick. How the monks and sisters there smiled at him with the same kindness, that same fond crinkle in their eyes as - 

Gyatso. 

Suddenly Aang felt a sharp pain in his chest. He was grateful the others couldn't follow him up here, grateful that he had flown out of their reach, if only to have a private moment with his grief. 

It felt too sharp, too agonising. Aang knows it's been a hundred years since this place was one of his homes, but to him it felt like only a year had passed, if that. And Aang had gotten through that year like a typical airbender. Avoiding the painful truth of the matter like the plague. 

Here, with the places he once knew to be bright and beautiful, crumbling beneath his fingertips, it felt like too much. 

Aang dropped his staff and leaned against the wall. The wooden staff clattered onto the floor, and Aang suddenly found himself struggling to breathe right. The clatter of the staff stopped, and finally Aang was trapped once again in the silence of the Temple. No more distractions from the thoughts spilling out of his chest, out of his lungs, drowning him for how much they hurt. He couldn't keep it in. 

Gyatso. 

Barely holding himself up against the wall, Aang's breathing grew sharp. He made noise when he exhaled. The noise was low and mournful. 

 _Gyatso._  

_It was years ago, back at the Western Air Temple. Aang and his fellow airbending students were showcasing their skills for the leaders of their Western cloche. Each airbender in the line before Aang would do a trick, to be appraised by the monks and sisters in the Temple here. The sharing of skills and techniques was a central part of the Sky Bison festival, and the learning and demonstration of airbending was the centrepiece of the activities here. Rohan was displaying his airbending technique, whirling the dust from the temple floor into geometric patterns in the air to entertain while his mentor stood watching on. Aang applauded Rohan, grinning at his friend._

_Aang felt the warm press of a hand upon his shoulder. He looked up at his own mentor, the old monk smiled down at him with twinkling eyes._

_"A tough act to follow, don't you think?"_

_"It was amazing!" Aang enthused, still cheering Rohan on._

_"Your turn next Aang." Gyatso fiddled with the end of his moustache, his mouth twitching into the grin he makes right before making a typical Gyatso pun. "I think your air scooter will blow them away."_

_Aang laughed. "Let's hope not. It's a long way down from the edge."_

_"I played a real trick when it was my turn back in the day." Gyatso mused. "Though I don't think it was the sort of trick they were looking for."_

_Aang snickered, and looked over the monks supervising the demonstrations. "Can't do the same trick twice though."_

_"Well, that's neither here nor air." Gyatso stroked his beard. "I doubt they've ever seen the likes of your scooter before. They're in for a treat."_

_"So not a trick then?" Aang hedged his bets, hoping his mentor would help him prank the supervisors._

_"Maybe later." Gyatso winked at Aang. The monks called him up to showcase his airbending talents, and Gyatso gave Aang's shoulder one last squeeze. "Good luck."_

By the time Aang's breathing had levelled, he found himself on his knees, crumbled much like the ancient stone, with one hand clutching the stone lion turtle at the base of the mural, and his other hand grasping his own shoulder. 

He did not know how much time had passed in his grief. 

When he had calmed himself enough to pull himself from these bittersweet memories he brought his hand to his cheek and found it wet. Pulling himself to his feet and rubbing his face with the back of his arm, Aang exhaled several times, trying to repress these feelings enough with the meditative techniques that the monks had taught him so that he could fly back downstairs and face his friends as though nothing had happened. 

When Aang felt calm enough, he pressed his hand to the arrow of the painted bison in the mural once more, reassuring himself with the tangible stability of the rock. He petted the forehead of the bison in the picture, before stepping away, flicking open his glider, and shaking his head.

If he flew down now Katara and Sokka would be waiting, ready to drag him back into a conversation Aang _really_ didn't want to have right now.  Aang sighed. He wondered how long he could outrun them. There was still so much more of the temple to explore. He wondered if it was like he remembered it. 

Spiralling his glider up with a kick, Aang set off towards the ledge of the room, throwing his glider ahead of him out the cavernous open windows before jumping out to follow it. 

If he could avoid Katara's prying, maybe he could still manage to make something ok out of this day. He needed his private moment to grieve. Aang was sure it wouldn't be his only moment of grief staying in this temple. If only he could outrun the grief, outrun the negative feelings, maybe then he could at least try to be happy while he's here. 

If nothing else, Aang was glad nobody else had to see him like that. See him broken down over the past. At least alone, up here, his grief was his own. 

* * *

 

Climbing down from the ledge, feet digging in to the vines that crisscrossed the mountainside, after finally rehearsing and re-rehearsing how he would introduce himself to the Avatar's friends, Zuko was distracted in his decent by the sound of wood striking stone, echoing from the top most platform of the temple, which just so happened to be adjacent to Zuko's descent. 

He looked over his shoulder, and was surprised, shocked, to see none other than the Avatar wandering across the platform. Zuko nearly slid off his vine. This was so easy, he could just speak to Aang directly. Getting the Avatar alone, cornering him so to speak, in the past Zuko had dreamed about a moment like this far too often, and thinking back on the parallel now made Zuko a little perturbed by the idea of confronting him like this, in this situation. 

But considering how difficult it would be to convince the Avatar's friends, to convince the distrustful Water Tribe warrior with the top knot, Sokka, to convince Katara, the fearsome waterbending master who he'd hurt, who Zuko betrayed in Ba Sing Se, to convince them all, all people he hunted, he pursued, he brought danger upon - Zuko wasn't sure why he thought the Avatar would be any more understanding. 

_"If we knew each other back then, do you think we could've been friends too?"_

But that was before Ba Sing Se. Zuko was pretty sure he shot all chances he had of friendship with the Avatar down the same time he helped Azula shoot him in the back with lightning. He wasn't sure how he could ever recover from that, what kind of redemption he could earn when he had done such terrible things.

He wasn't sure why he was even trying. If he was the Avatar, he wouldn't take Zuko back, accept him into his fold, or even trust him for a second. 

But he had to try. He was here, wasn't he? 

And the Avatar was right there, and he - 

Zuko heard a faint sound, like a low moan, a sound that hadn't meant to slip out, but there it was.

Strangely enough, it reminded Zuko of his Uncle Iroh, whenever he caught him alone around the same time every year. Having spent three years on a boat together, it was impossible to not notice how his Uncle withdrew every year on the anniversary of his son's death. Once, Zuko had almost walked in on Iroh's chambers, so used to being able to go wherever he pleased on the boat, so used to his Uncle receiving him no matter the time or day. When Zuko almost walked in, he froze as soon as he realised. Iroh was burning incense for the picture he kept of Lu Ten, Zuko's cousin. Zuko overheard no words that day, just the same mournful noise, so faint, like an exhalation, but so intense it was shattering. Zuko left his Uncle to the privacy of his own grief that day, and awkwardly attempted to cheer him up the week following. He did not mean to intrude on his Uncle's grief. 

Yet here he was, intruding on the Avatar's. 

Suddenly Zuko didn't think it was the time to be cornering the Avatar for a man to man chat. 

He meant to move away, to climb back up the vine, to give him some time, and then to climb down later to find the gang and approach them with his initial prepared speech. Zuko meant to move away, but again he was frozen. Frozen by what he was witnessing, and the gravity that it encompassed. 

Sure, the Fire Nation had hurt a lot of people, and during Zuko's exile he saw the ramifications of their great march firsthand, but this was something else. They wiped out Aang's entire people. 

Zuko couldn't even begin to imagine what that felt like. 

Zuko had been obsessed with Aang, he had followed the boy across the globe, tracked his every movement, studied his every quirk, his every habit, all to better understand and capture his prey. He had never once fully realised through studying the carefree young airbender the extent of the weight that the loss of his people had on him. The toll it took on Aang's jovial, lively personality. 

It was painful to see. Zuko would have looked away. It was what he should have done. 

He saw Aang grasp his own shoulder. Now that was painful. 

Zuko hung on the vines climbing up the temple wall and looked at all the things he shouldn't. 

By the time Aang got up, Zuko was certain he had overstayed his welcome, and that he should immediately leave, and abandon his quest to join their team. 

The chasm of hurt that lay between them was too pronounced. It was impossible to bridge. 

And then, wiping his eyes, Aang restored Zuko's hope with the simplest of gestures. 

He reached out to the bison painted on the wall and stroked its head. The gesture was so fond, so caring, it gave Zuko hope. 

Forgiveness was possible. 

Zuko watched the Avatar fly down to the lower levels of the temple, looping and swirling through the mist in the sky. 

It's funny how without even trying, all this time, the Avatar became some sort of expert on restoring Zuko's hope. 

It was a new day, and Zuko was different now. It was time to try at redemption. 

 

* * *

 

**Next chapter:**

"Hello, Zuko here." 


	2. Zuko Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Zuko here."

** Chapter 2: Zuko Here **

 

 

* * *

 

Spiralling around the many columns that held the temple to the mountainside, Aang rode the air currents, looping more and more intricately as he attempted to eek some fun out of this dismal day. 

If only Katara - this is "I love fun" Katara, who once put Momo on her head to prove it - if only she weren't hot on Aang's heels. Her, Sokka and Toph were following Aang, riding on Appa to pursue him. Perhaps by now they'd realised that waiting for an airbender to come to you to tackle conflict was a futile effort. 

"Aang, can we talk about you learning firebending now?" 

"What?" Aang yelled, suddenly feigning a very convenient deafness. "The wind is too loud in my ears. Hey, check out this loop!" 

Flipping upside down on his glider Aang completed three loop-de-loops under the cavernous ceiling of the temple's courtyard. With each loop he could see for a split second the growing exasperation and concern on the waterbender's face, as she struggled to maintain Aang's attention. 

 _Why am I looking at Katara?_  Aang shook away the thought. The concern on her face kindled guilt for a moment, if it was just exasperation, maybe Aang could deal, but whenever Katara's expression got pinched in that specific way Aang found it very hard to evade coming around to her.

 _Stop looking at Katara._  Aang thought.  _Look at Momo_. 

Momo chittered and mimicked Aang's loops, keeping time and motion with his airbending buddy. Looking at Momo was much better. 

Appa kept pace with Aang too, though he spared his riders the figure eight loops.

"Aang, I think we should be making some plans about our future!" Sokka yelled, trying to have his voice heard over the wind. Aang could hear him alright, he wished he could outrun the sound. 

Aang landed on the platform, next to the hourglass shaped fountain in the middle of the courtyard. 

"Ok, we can do that -" Appa landed behind Aang, and Sokka, Katara and Toph climbed off his back. Sokka looked excited for a split second, almost relieved, before Aang continued on. "While I show you the giant Pai Sho table! Oh, you're gonna love the all day echo chamber." 

Aang almost had the gang distracted enough to join him. He was certain he could lose this awful conversation in the all day echo chamber. Sokka wouldn't even be able to get a word out before it bounced off all the walls, continuously interrupting him. 

As soon as Toph slid off Appa and placed her feet on solid ground, her ambivalent, bemused expression (she was possibly the only one who wasn't currently hounding Aang, though he suspected she joined Katara and Sokka following him around because she gets a kick out of making Aang confront things) suddenly soured as she felt her surroundings properly through the ground. 

"I think that'll have to wait." Her serious intonation drew everyone's perplexed gaze, and even Aang had to pause his evasion rampage to acknowledge Toph's superior sense of danger. 

Toph pointed behind her, and at first Aang thought she was pointing at Appa, and he frowned, worried something was wrong with his bison. When Appa moved away, it became apparent exactly what Toph was pointing to.

A silhouette came out of the mist, from the edge of the courtyard's ledge. As the mist cleared and the shadowy person came into view, Aang had about a second to be taken aback.

Standing before the group, a familiar face, that of the Fire Nation Prince, Zuko, who had chased them all the way across the globe, a face Aang was used to seeing twisted in anger right before all Aang would see would be a face full of fire, was somewhat nervous, but approachable. Or perhaps that was the Prince's intent, but experience wins out over whatever intent Zuko had for the gang now. 

"Hello," The Prince waved awkwardly. "Zuko here."  

* * *

 

Experience had taught Aang to be on guard around Zuko, and so he raised his staff, moving to an offensive stance.

Behind him the rest of the group did the same. Sokka raised his boomerang from its holster on his back, Katara assumed a waterbending stance, feeling the water from the hourglass fountain nearby, ready to pull it from the fountain and unleash her fury on Zuko at a moment's notice. Even Toph switched her stance, ready for anything.

However none of them were ready for this. 

"Hey. I heard you guys flying around down there," Zuko shrugged. "So I just thought I'd ... wait for you here." 

Aang was frozen in his stance. He wasn't sure how to react. He didn't even blink, until Appa approached the prince. 

The bison initially advanced on Zuko, growling, the same way he reacts to all potential threats to his master. Aang knew he could trust Appa to make quick work of any untrustworthy bad guys. 

Zuko took a cautious step back and covered his face with his arms, and Aang waited for Appa to stomp on Zuko, or knock him flying. 

Instead, Appa licked him. 

"Urgh." 

Aang blinked, and on his shoulder Momo's ears twitched back in surprise. Appa was licking Zuko. 

Aang lowered his staff. 

Appa continued licking the Fire Nation Prince, and Zuko took it with a considerable amount of grace, covered in bison slobber. Appa was now licking Zuko's face, and Aang watched the Prince awkwardly wiping slobber off himself with his arm. 

"I know you must be surprised to see me here." Zuko began. 

"Not really." Sokka countered, hostile, still holding his boomerang at the ready. "Since you've followed us all over the world." Aang looked to see all of the group holding their defensive stances, and he looked back to Zuko, though he couldn't really muster up the ire to raise his staff to him again. 

"Right." Zuko looked visibly uncomfortable. "Well... uh, anyway. What I wanted to tell you about, is that I've changed." 

Aang's eyes widened a fraction, and he frowned at Zuko, uncertain if he should be embracing this hopeful feeling right now, or if he should stay suspicious. 

"And I, uh, I'm good now. And, well, I think I should join your group." His words all came out rushed, his expression showed how completely apprehensive he was to finish speaking, but the words came spilling out anyway. 

"Oh, and, I can teach firebending... to you." He looked at Aang directly, and Aang could see through Zuko's nerves something that looked like compassion? This beseeching expression was searching for Aang's approval, but for some reason he seemed to be compassionate to Aang for some reason.

The airbender wasn't sure. He was confused. 

Lowering his weapon completely, Aang just looked at Zuko, his confusion entirely evident in his body language and expression. 

"See, I - uh -" 

"You want to what now?" Toph interjected. 

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" Katara's voice peaked, she was angry. "I mean, how stupid do you think we are?" 

"Yeah, all you've ever done is try to hunt us down." Sokka gestured with his boomerang. "And capture Aang." 

"I've done some good things!" Zuko shot out, defensive, walking forward. "I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free!"

He flung out both his arms at Appa, as if proving a point. "That's something." 

Appa chose this moment to lick Zuko's back appreciatively, surprising the group and Zuko in the process. 

"Appa does seem to like him." Toph mused, raising her eyebrows. 

Sokka shrugged. "He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it." 

Appa licked his lips heartily behind Zuko. 

Zuko's expression was remorseful and contrite as he addressed the group, trying to maintain eye contact to prove his sincerity.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past." 

He looked away to the side, shame enveloping him. His shame was not enough to move them however. 

"Like when you attacked our village?" Sokka stated angrily. 

"Or when you _stole_ my mother's necklace?" Katara added, her fists clenching as she recounted the wrongs Zuko did to her. "And used it to track us down and capture us?" 

"Look, I admit I've done some awful things." Zuko sighed and pressed a palm to his temple, trying to stay calm with all his shortcomings and failures being thrown in his face so readily. "I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe." 

His apology didn't seem to be helping his case at this point. Katara still looked furious, having not yet shifted from her defensive stance, her left hand still resting on the cap of her water skin.

Aang was still conflicted, he could hear the sincerity in Zuko's voice, and apologies are the first step when it comes to making amends, but it was very hard to focus on forgiveness when Aang could see Katara and Sokka's reactions and see that they were still hurting over Zuko's actions. Katara had never gotten over Zuko stealing her mother's necklace, knowing how precious it was to her Aang wasn't surprised, but Katara had a knack for holding grudges that Aang could never fathom.

Even hearing Zuko apologise for trying to capture Aang didn't seem to resonate with Aang much. It was almost like the numerous kidnappings felt inconsequential, now that they were in the past, like a mundane experience. Just a man (well, teenager) trying to do his job, and just an entertaining time wasting romp for Aang. Deep down he could admit that those encounters were almost fun, if his life weren't on the line, though Zuko never seemed to hunt to kill, unlike Azula. He could remember Azula holding him up against the wall of Ba Sing Se, atop the drill, when he was barely conscious, her fingers ready to aim a white hot shot of fire through his skull. 

Aang almost winced remembering it, and he couldn't help but look at Zuko's scar. The prince's hair, no longer fastened in his traditional top knot, fell floppy over his eyes, almost like he grew it out to cover the huge burn mark that dominated his face. 

While Aang was lost in the comparison, Zuko continued talking. 

"And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. I'm gonna try to stop him."

Toph and Sokka widened their eyes in shock. 

"Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka advanced on Zuko, boomerang pointed at the prince. 

Zuko looked panicked. "Well, that's not his name, but..." 

"Oh sorry." Sokka countered. "I didn't mean to insult your _friend_." 

"He's not my friend!" 

Toph stomped, raising her voice. "That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" 

Now that everyone was tense, and Zuko's crimes were out in the open, they all had no choice but to face them. Katara's anger was mirrored by Toph and Sokka now, and the odds of having everyone turn on him within the first five minutes of approaching them was almost exactly what Zuko expected. He almost expected defeat. His shoulders were slumped, and he felt like he had no words to possibly defend himself. 

He looked to Aang. 

"Why aren't you saying anything?" 

Aang was still frowning. He wanted to believe in the good in Zuko, but after knowing Zuko had sent Combustion Man after him too. Everyone thought Aang was dead and Zuko still wanted to hunt him down, he was obsessed. It was hard to reconcile that obsession with trusting Zuko enough to let him teach Aang firebending. 

"You once said you thought we could be... friends." Zuko shrugged. 

Aang pondered on that. He did say that. The thought had been haunting him for some time too. Before he woke up from the iceberg he could have been friends with Zuko, just like with Kuzon, but war changes everything. Without the war Zuko could have come to him in friendship, and now the war wasn't over, but Zuko came regardless. Aang may have been a little obsessed too. He had always thought that if only there wasn't a war going on, he could have truly connected with the Prince. It was a scenario that ran through his head countless times. He just sensed a connection there, like a spark, but he could never really fan those flames into any outcome other than disaster, with the Prince and he on opposite sides of the war. Now Aang was getting a chance to start over, and after all the defeats he had suffered following the invasion, even following the battle at Ba Sing Se, he felt like he had screwed up more chances than he had gotten. 

"You know I have good in me." 

Aang turned to look at his friends for guidance. He had screwed things up so badly lately, it was just failure after failure. He couldn't make this decision now, when the rest of the group were hurting over Zuko's actions. Aang's forgiveness, the very same forgiveness that the monks taught him wasn't for everyone, and he couldn't hurt or burden the rest of the group with his decision when they were all hurting for different reasons right now. 

He looked at Toph's serious expression, Katara's barely hidden rage. He looked at Sokka and met his eye. Sokka very clearly shook his head at Aang, telling him all he needed to know. Aang turned back to Zuko, his verdict decided for him. 

"There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us." 

* * *

 

**Next chapter: "If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner."**

 

 

 


	3. An Actual Human Being with Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there are several human beings with actual feelings.

**Chapter 3: An Actual Human Being with Feelings**

 

 

* * *

 

Pacing by the campfire, up in the forest above the Western Air Temple, Zuko was frustrated. 

"Argh, I can't believe how stupid I am!" 

The tarp from the war balloon he rode in on was draped over a low hanging tree branch to make his tent, the scant few supplies Zuko brought with him spilling out of his pack as he rummaged through them looking for something to do, other than dwell upon his social awkwardness and ineptitude. 

The badger frog that had been lingering near his camp followed Zuko's pacing with it's bulbous eyes, seemingly fascinated by it. The way Zuko gesticulated in his pacing, the way he threw his arms out, clasped them to his head, swung his hand in a million aborted little gestures, like he was trying to express something with his hands, since his words obviously weren't good enough. 

"I mean, what was I thinking?" He clapped his hand to his forehead, so aghast at his own stupidity that he had to give voice to it out loud. "Telling them I sent an assassin after them. Why didn't I just say Azula did that? They would've believed that! Stupid!" 

Aang's resounding " _We'll never let you join us_ " repeated over and over in Zuko's head. It seemed so final. How was he supposed to convince the Avatar he was useful to his group, when already he'd made up his mind. 

Well, maybe there was still hope. If it weren't for his friends, if it weren't for the prompting of his group, maybe Zuko would have won over the Avatar. It seemed for a moment like he was considering Zuko's offer, he _saw_ Aang's expression when he mentioned their possible friendship. Zuko hadn't imagined that. That softening of his brow, from confused furrows to wistful possibility.

Or at least that's what Zuko thought it was. He could have just been sad about his other friends he had lost in the war. He had mentioned his old friend Kuzon to Zuko back in the Earth Kingdom, maybe that was who he was thinking about. 

But Zuko knew the Avatar. He had spent years hunting him down, studying him, analysing his every move. He felt like he could read him better, at least better than he was giving himself credit for. Aang was on the fence, that was for sure. His Avatar word was not as final as it seemed. 

Changing the minds of Aang's friends however, maybe that was the bigger hurdle. 

He thought back to how they reacted on the platform. The Water Tribe warrior, Sokka was just about ready to attack him, but not nearly as ready as his sister was. Katara didn't seem like she would ever forgive Zuko. 

_"You need to get out of here, now." She told him._

_"I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!"_

_"Either you leave." Sokka took a step towards Zuko, thrusting the sharp pointed tip of his boomerang at him. "Or we attack."_

_In a last ditch effort to appeal to them, Zuko did what he would have done to a firenation general, or to an equal in the war. An enemy was better kept as a prisoner if one couldn't dispose of them, at least then the danger of your enemy would be neutralised, and if they were talented, you could use their skills eventually, when you finally broke them. It's what Azula would do._

_"If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner."_

_His head was bowed, but he could see out of the corner of his eye the Avatar's body language shifting, almost recoiling from the thought of imprisoning Zuko. It was interesting to note, though he didn't have much time to note it._

_The crash of water signalled Katara's offence, she pulled a deluge of water from the hourglass fountain and weaponised it._

_"No, we won't!"_

_Zuko was pushed back by the strong wave of water. He fell face down into the puddle the wave made, soaked through._

_As he pushed himself back up, Katara's voice cut through his resolve to stay and try to convince them further._

_"Get out of here and don't come back! And if we ever see you again..." The menace in her voice was real. "Well, we'd better not see you again!"_

The badger frog hopped closer to Zuko and croaked. 

"Not too sure how I'm going to get around that one." Zuko sighed and sat on the grass next to the badger frog. He rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on his palms with a sigh. 

"How do you make friends with a waterbender with a grudge who wants to kill you?" 

The badger frog croaked again. Zuko huffed out a breath and flung his arms out beside him, laying down on the ground to look at the stars for guidance. 

"Yeah, that's about what I thought." 

* * *

 

Katara was walking through the temple chambers, charging through really, still trying to walk off her rage. The others were following her, getting ready to set up their sleeping bags to camp for the night. 

"Why would he try to fool us like that?"

"Obviously he wants to lead us into some kind of trap." Sokka postulated, leaning against the chamber wall. 

"This is just like when we were in prison together in Ba Sing Se. He starts talking about his mother and making it seem like he's an actual human being with feelings." She unrolled her sleeping bag and shook it out. 

"He wants you to feel sorry for him, so you let your guard down, _then_ he strikes." Sokka punched his fist out to emphasise. He had finished rolling out his sleeping bag and settled down on top of it cross legged. 

Aang didn't have a sleeping bag to unfurl, most nights he slept with Appa, so he stood watching the conversation, holding a jar of stewed plums they somehow still had in their pack from staying in Hamma's inn. He seemed to be considering the conversation as he unpacked. Was that really Zuko's technique? If so, it was working. Aang did feel sorry for him. 

"The thing is, it worked." Katara answered Sokka, kneeling down on her own sleeping bag, patting it down. "I did feel sorry for him. I felt like he was really confused and hurt."

That's what Aang felt too right now. From Zuko's expressions he seemed really conflicted and remorseful. He acknowledged his past mistakes, and was attempting to move on from them. He was saying that he wasn't that person anymore. It didn't seem like an act. 

"But obviously, when the time came, he made his choice and we paid the price." 

Aang felt a wince in his back as he was reminded of the price he paid at Ba Sing Se. The lightning scar on his back still hurt him occasionally for no particular reason, and all the healing water Katara could pour on him hadn't stopped the painful twinges. He knew personally what the price for Zuko's choice was at Ba Sing Se, and Katara knew too, seeing as she was the one who had been pouring all her energy into healing his wound. 

"We can't trust him." 

"I kind of have a confession to make." Aang spoke up, his back to the group. "Remember when you two were sick and I got captured by Zhao?" 

"And you made us suck on frozen frogs??" Sokka exclaimed, still outraged. "How could I forget? I had a wart on the flap that hangs down the back of my throat for a month!" 

Sokka opened his mouth wide and pointed at his throat flap, urging the others too look, making emphatic "ahh, ahh" sounds.

"Sokka, I looked at it and told you there was nothing there!" 

"I could feel it. It's my throatal flap!" 

"Anyway." Aang cut in, trying to continue his interrupted confession. "When Zhao had me chained up, it was Zuko who came in and got me out. He risked his life to save me." 

"No way." Katara immediately objected, crossing her arms with clenched fists. "I'm sure he only did it so he could capture you himself." 

Better Zuko than Zhao, Aang thought to himself idly. That probably was the only reason Zuko had freed him from Zhao, but Aang had been hoping it meant something more. They worked well together when they busted him out of Zhao's prison. It was exhilarating, as one would expect a prison bust to be, but it was also very interesting how Aang had to put his trust in the Blue Spirit's hands time and time again, and it had paid off.

He had to trust that the Spirit would cut the chains and not his arms off, he had to trust that the Spirit knew where he was going, knew the way out. He had to trust that the Spirit would catch him when they escaped, and he had to trust at the gates that the Spirit wouldn't slit his throat, that there was a plan to get him out. He had to walk backwards fourty paces with dual swords pressed to his throat, bumping his back against the Blue Spirit's chest, his heart thumping like a jackeroo's foot, and somehow he still felt secure and safe. 

Honestly, the connection he felt with the Blue Spirit was the reason Aang stayed to rescue him when the arrow knocked him out. If he felt such a strong connection to the Blue Spirit, knowing it was Zuko, that gave Aang pause to think that maybe there was more to him. He spent ages in the forest, while Zuko was lying there, unconscious, trying to reconcile the two persona's and how he felt about them. It felt impossible to trust Zuko as much as he trusted the Blue Spirit, but when it was the Blue Spirit's arms around him it was Zuko's arms around him too. The skydive of emotions he felt with the Blue Spirit, protecting him, possessing him, guiding him to his escape and keeping him so on edge, his sword to Aang's throat, it was powerful. 

Aang had hoped that the connection he felt with Zuko then was something he could build on. Nurture into a friendship. Maybe the only reason he helped Aang escape was because he wanted to be the one to capture him. Maybe the reason he helped Aang escape was because he could recognise Zhao as the greater evil. Maybe on some level he wanted to spare Aang from the things that Zhao would have done to him. 

"Yeah, face it Aang." Sokka agreed with his sister. "You're nothing but a big prize to him." 

"You're probably right." Aang conceded. 

"And what was all that crazy stuff about setting Appa free? What a liar." Katara punched the ground, her anger needing an outlet.

"Actually, he wasn't lying." 

All three of them turned to see Toph leaning nonchalantly against the door arch of the chamber. 

"Oh hooray." Sokka threw his arms up, laying on the sarcasm thick. "In a lifetime of evil at least he didn't add animal cruelty to the list." 

"I'm just saying that considering his messed up family, and how he was raised, he could have turned out a lot worse." Toph shrugged. 

"You're right." Katara threw her hands in the air, a sharp grin on her features that Aang wasn't used to. "Toph, let's go find him and give him a medal. The 'not as much of a jerk as you could have been' award." 

"All I know." Toph sighed. "Is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly." 

Katara's temper flared up. "Easy for you to say! You weren't there when he had us attacked by pirates!" 

Sokka clenched his fist. "Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island." 

Aang added his voice to the mix, his own memories of when Zuko had meant to harm him speaking louder than the memories he had of Zuko's potential compassion. "Or when he tried to capture me at the fire temple." 

"Why would you even try to defend him?" Katara asked, her anger hot, her hurts too raw. She was emotion, whereas Toph was immovable logic. 

"Because Katara, you're all ignoring one crucial fact. Aang needs a firebending teacher. We can't think of a single person in the world to do the job. Now one shows up on a silver platter and you won't even think about it!" 

Katara seemed chastised, slightly remorseful for her strong words. Toph had her teeth bared through this speech, stomping the ground. Everyone was impassioned about this subject in different ways, difficult ways to express. Katara looked to Aang. 

"I'm not having Zuko as my teacher." Aang walked out to the next chamber, turning his back on the group and the conversation, having clearly had enough of it. He left, going to find Appa in the bison stables, to attempt to get some rest with his fluffy friend. 

"You're darn right you're not, buddy." Sokka added. 

"Well, I guess that's settled." Katara said smugly, crossing her arms again.

Toph groaned in frustration, then turned her back on the siblings, walking out to go make her rock tent. It was more familiar than a sleeping bag and she felt most comfortable that way. This discussion was full of stubborn people and mindsets though, and it was infuriating. 

"I'm beginning to wonder who's really the blind one around here." 

As the group split up to try to catch some rest in their respective area's of the temple, Aang snuggled up to Appa. Under the moonlight, looking out into the cliffs opposite the temple, cuddling his buddy, his soul bonded animal companion, who might not even be here right now if it weren't for Zuko, gave Aang pause to think that Zuko quite possibly was an actual human being with feelings, and that his words were sincere, that he was genuine. 

A part of Aang hoped so. 

* * *

 

**Next Chapter: Fire Burns.**

 


	4. Fire Burns

**Chapter Four: Fire Burns**

 

 

* * *

 

Back at the makeshift camp in the canopy above the Western Air Temple, Zuko rummaged through his pack. 

Being prepared for life on the run from the Fire Nation, from his Father, meant Zuko knew what essentials he needed to pack. He needed to pack light, knowing he may have to pick everything up and run away with it at a moment's notice. He had to pack smart. Nothing too heavy. His dual swords were the heaviest item he carried. Event though he arrived by war balloon, he didn't have the luxury of bringing too many creature comforts. 

The only comforting things he brought with him were a few mementos from his uncle, Iroh's favourite teapot from when they were living in Ba Sing Se together, and a comfortable sleeping roll. 

He didn't bring much in the way of food, assuming he would be hunting and gathering the majority of what he would be eating. 

The badger frog on the tree stump across from him let out a low croak. 

Dinner. 

Zuko narrowed his eyes at the frog. 

He wasn't hungry just yet, but that frog was starting to really get on his nerves. 

Zuko continued rummaging through his pack, taking everything out and laying it on the ground. 

It was lamentable, what his life had been reduced to, Zuko thought, laying out all of his worldly possessions on the ground in front of him. 

He had everything to gain back when he was roaming the world, hunting the avatar down, and now that he gave that all up, he had nothing but a comb, a few articles of clothing, some hunting knives, a shoe, his dual swords, and his uncle's teapot. 

He had a little block of cheese and some bread that was stale by now, but he hadn't really planned it through 100%, leaving like that during the eclipse. 

He just knew he had to go. He couldn't be there anymore, acting like someone he was not. 

Taking his hunting knife out, Zuko carved a little bit of the cheese off the block and put it in his mouth, still staring down the badger frog sitting across from him, who croaked gloatingly at the sight. 

"Don't think you're lucky." Zuko snarked at the frog. "I just like cheese more than I like badger frog rotisserie style." 

The frog croaked again, seeming unimpressed. 

Zuko was being sassed by a frog. 

All in one day, rejected by the Avatar's friends and reluctantly by the Avatar, chased out of their camp soaking wet, only to arrive back at his own camp with hardly any food in his belly, being sassed by a frog. 

What a day. 

Cutting his losses, Zuko curled up on top of the soft fabric of his sleeping roll, letting the campfire's embers burn low, turning his back to it. 

Squeezing his eyes shut, trying to focus on tomorrow, when he would try again, rather than the crushing defeat he felt now, he willed himself to sleep, hoping this would all seem easier to handle in the morning. 

* * *

 

Toph was walking through the forest, _seeing_ the tree branches and rocks in her path, feeling the leaves and grass brush against her skin and thinking about how utterly stubborn, illogical, ridiculous and pig headed Katara could be about some things. 

Toph butted heads less with Katara now than she did initially. Their personalities weren't the total opposites her and Aang were in the beginning, but because both of them were assertive enough, and used to making things happen, and getting their way, when what they wanted differed, it led to a lot of conflict. 

Toph could take it in her stride more now, but just because Katara seemed to think her word was final on this, it didn't mean Toph was going to stop making things happen. 

Toph liked making things happen. If you push a rock from the top of a hill, momentum moves it, and the rock keeps rolling. That was the way Toph liked to do things. She liked to get the rock rolling. 

And whiling away on a mountainside in a forgotten temple, just waiting for the Fire Nation to find them, didn't seem like anything that would actually get them anywhere soon. 

Now getting a firebending teacher! That would be getting something going for them. 

She could feel the guy breathing, slow and even. He was probably sleeping, and just a few more minutes walk away. She was going to go to him, sort out some sort of arrangement where the banished prince taught Aang and didn't kill him, then the rest of them all could just learn how to deal. 

Perfect Toph Beifong plan. Certified genius. 

She continued her trek, stomping through the forest, and as she neared the campfire her toughened feet came down on a tangle of twigs, snapping the wood audibly. 

The sleeping prince sprung upright, the sound of twigs snapping him out of his slumber. 

"Who's there?" 

Before Toph could get a word out, the prince's paranoia showed, and he was already sweeping his eyes frantically across the forest, sleep still affecting him, as he didn't see Toph straight away. He swept his arm out, and a slice of fire shot out from his fingertips, burning low to the ground. "Stay back!" 

Toph cried out, stumbling, as the fire lapped at the ground. Instinctively she threw up a wall of stone, shielding her from the flames, but the flames curled around the back of the stone pillar, and as she was scrambling back they caught her, flames licking at the soles of her feet. 

"Ow!" 

Toph fell back, no longer sturdy like a rock, no longer able to stand on her feet. The reality set in. 

"You burned my feet!" 

Blind, Toph didn't see the look of anguish that passed over Zuko's face. Now more fully blinded by her burned feet than she had been before, she couldn't even imagine or vaguely sense what he was doing. She could just hear. 

"I'm sorry, it was a mistake!" 

Toph could hear his feet against the ground, running, coming closer to her. She pushed herself back with her hands, fingers still feeling the earth, though not as well as her feet could, and she called the earth to help her, pulling great chunks of rock from the ground, flinging the rocks in the direction of the sound. 

"Get away from me!" 

She was chucking the rocks at him, but she could hear his footsteps, persistent, behind him. Every rock she threw he dodged, so she threw more, but still he kept coming. 

"Let me -" dodged again "Help you! I'm sorry!" 

She could feel him hovering over her. When his hand reached out and tentatively touched her shoulder, she panicked. 

"Get off me!" She pushed him away with her hands, before squealing. "Get OFF ME!" 

She thrust her palms out and a sharp jab of rock protruded from the earth, hitting Zuko in the stomach and propelling him away, far away from Toph. Or far enough away that she could escape and nurse her burnt feet and her hurt feelings. As she crawled away through the forest she could hear the prince calling out behind her, his voice fading further and further away. At least he wasn't following her now. 

"I didn't know it was you!" 

"Come back!" 

She was far enough away now that she didn't hear more than that, so she missed Zuko's dramatic yell to the heavens. 

"Arrrrgh. Why am I so bad at being good?" 

Toph's only answer to that, had she heard it, would be the burns on her feet, which led her to believe somewhere in the pit of her stomach that maybe Katara was right.

That hurt to admit. 

* * *

 

It took all night to get back to the temple, crawling through the earth, limited to using only her hands, but by the time Toph got back, while her feet were still hurting, she had more than ample time to think over the altercation. 

She could hear the gang talking about her, asking where she was, when she made her approach. 

Wouldn't they like to know. 

Digging dirt along with earthbending, finally reaching the end of her makeshift tunnel, she burst out of a hole in the wall, the rubble and stone crumbling out under her into a pile. Easing herself out of the tunnel with a wince, she slid down the pile of rubble, until she reached the floor of the temple. 

She could hear her friends come running towards her. 

"Toph, what happened?" Katara's voice called out, concerned. 

"My feet got burned." Toph replied, gesturing to her feet as though it were self explanatory. 

Katara knelt down and examined Toph's feet, touching them gently with her hands. 

"Oh no, what happened?" She pressed. 

"I just told you, my feet got burned." Toph winced as Katara examined her burnt soles. 

"I meant how." Katara clarified, sounding only slightly annoyed. 

Toph shrugged, sheepish. "Well, I kind of went to see Zuko last night." 

"You what?" That was Aang's voice, and he sounded shocked and conflicted. 

"Zuko?" Katara sounded scornful and aghast. 

"Ugh." Sokka just sounded disgusted. 

"I just thought he could be helpful to us." Toph defended her actions. "And if I talked to him, maybe we could work something out." 

Katara began bending the healing water around Toph's feet and she felt the pain ease immediately. She leaned back on her elbows and sighed. 

"So he attacked you?" That was Aang's voice. Toph had never heard him sound so confrontational. He seemed edgy, like he was looking for a reason to be mad. 

"Well, he did and he didn't." Toph shrugged. "It was sort of an accident." 

"But he did firebend at you?" Aang pushed, clarifying. 

"Yes." Toph confirmed. 

"See. You trusted Zuko, and you got burned." Sokka exclaimed, his tone severe, driving the point home. "Literally." 

Katara bent the swirling water away from Toph's skin to examine it. 

"It's gonna take a while for your feet to get better. I wish I could've worked on them sooner." 

"Yeah, me too." Toph said in a small little voice. 

"Zuko's clearly too dangerous to be left alone." Sokka said, his voice full of military command and sway, falling back into his role as tactical leader quickly after the invasion. He was always good at rallying people to action. "We're gonna have to go after him." 

"I hate to go looking for a fight." Aang replied, and he sounded so disappointed, down to his bones. "But you're right. After what he did to Toph, I don't think we have a choice." 

"He's crafty." Sokka continued planning while he moved to Toph, helping her up, his arm around her on one side, Aang taking her other side, the two of them helping carry her to the water fountain. "But we'll find a way to capture him." 

"Maybe just invite him back here." Toph replied, half sarcastic. "He's already offered himself up as a prisoner once." 

"Yeah!" Sokka said excitedly. "Get him to come back and say he'll be our prisoner. Then we'll jump him and really make him our prisoner. He'll never suspect it!" 

"You are a master of surprise Sokka." Katara deadpanned. 

The two boys got Toph over to the fountain and eased her down to sit on the edge, dipping her feet in the cool flowing water. Toph sighed, and her whole body relaxed, the tension she didn't know she was carrying slipping away from her at the touch of cool water. 

"Ahh, that's the stuff. Now I know how the rest of you guys feel. Not being able to see with your feet stinks!" 

Toph felt the water roll over her feet like she felt the fraction of momentary peace from her aches and pains roll over her. Katara was fussing with the water, and Aang was bringing her a towel. Her night out in the wilderness seemed far away now she was back with her friends and soothing her pains. 

Far above the gang on the ledge cut into the cliff face, the Fire Nation assassin who had been plaguing their footsteps since before the invasion narrowed his eyes down at the team, following Aang specifically with his eyes. When Aang came out from behind the column with the towel for Katara, the assassin had a clear shot, and sucked in a deep breath, focusing his power on the inhale. 

He didn't expect the banished Fire Nation prince, his employer, Prince Zuko, to come swinging in from up above on one of the hanging vines, just in time. 

Prince Zuko knocked the assassin over and threw off his aim. The burst of energy misfired, and instead of incinerating Aang, it took out one of the columns above them, sending rock and debris falling down on the gang, earthbended away at the last moment by Aang. 

Quickly Aang and Sokka grabbed Toph, picking her up by the armpits and carrying her away behind a pillar, eager to get out of firing range. 

Aang was expecting explosions, explosions, and more explosions in silence, as was Combustion Man's way in their past interludes. He didn't expect to hear a voice. 

"Stop!" 

The voice rang out, and despite the need to seek cover, to pick up and run, Aang was shocked to recognize the voice.

How could he not recognize it? Aang had only been thinking about it on and off for the past year in various tones and circumstances. 

Who else could it be, but the one voice that confused and conflicted him the most? The one voice that wouldn't leave him alone. 

Of course it was Zuko. 

Really that should make Aang want to run more, considering how he had just burned his friend, but he wanted to see Zuko stand up to Combustion Man, he wanted to give him a chance. 

Preferably before the temple came down on top of them. 

That would be good. 

* * *

 

**Next Chapter:**

"The mission is off." 


End file.
